Automatic lock nut



May 15, 1923. 1,455,057

B. LINDSAY AUTOMATIC LOCK NUT Filed May 5, 1921 I I 'EIEH: L'md5a Patented May 15, 1923.

UNIT-ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

.IBERT LINDsAY, or ANTIGO, WISCONSIN, AssIGNon" or ONE-FOURTH To'fLEoN LINDSAY, ONE-EOURTH TO FRANK LINDSAY, AND ONE-FOURTH T WILLIAM LINDSAY, ALL or ANTIGO, wIscoNsIN.

AUTOMATIC LOCK NUT.

Application filed May 5,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERT LINDSAY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Antigo, in the county of Langlade and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Lock Nuts; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention refers to nut locks, and has for its object to provide a simple, economical and effective means for looking a nut upon its companion bolt, together with a controlled means for releasing the locking engagement between the nut and'bolt.

With the above objects in view, the invention consists in what is herein illustrated, described and particularly defined in the claim.

In the drawings, I

Figure 1 represents a face view of a bolt and nut embodying the features of my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the nut locking means retracted from its engagement with the bolt, the section being indicated by line 2-2 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section view, the section being indicated by line 3-3 of Fi ure 1, and

. igure 4: is a detail sectional view through the nut illustrating the locking means carried thereby, the section being indicated by line H of Figure 1.

Referring by characters to the drawings, 1 represents a threaded bolt having a series of longitudinal grooves cut in the threads, forming ratchet teeth 2, which ratchet teeth as shown interrupt the threads.

A standard nut 3 is provided, the bore of which is formed with a rectangular cavity 4: therein, which cavity is adapted to receive a reci rocative skeleton plunger 5 having a rate et tooth 5' that is adapted to suc cessively engage the ratchet teeth 2 when the nut is turned on, and to normally lock the nut in its adjusted position, whereby it is held against twisting, due to vibration or other causes after said nut has been tightened.

The rectangular plunger, as best shown in Figure 2, is formed with a central key receiving recess, one upper wall 7 and one of 1921. Serial No. 466,931.

the side walls 7 being disposed at a right angle to each other. The terminals of these walls are connected by a curved face 7 which face is concentric to a circular aperture 8 that is formed in the outer face of the nut and communicates with the key recess. This aperture 8 also has a slot exitension 8' that is adapted to receive a winged Fitted between the bottom of the cavity 4 and the juxtaposed upper face of the plunger thus prevent the nut from turning in a reverse direction, whereby it is firmly locked. Should it be desired to remove the nut for any purpose, the key 9 is inserted through the aperature 8 in the face of the nut to thus enter the key receiving aperture of the plunger, in which entering position the wing of the key will lie approximately parallel to the aperture face 7. The key is then swung upwardly whereby its wing portion will engage the face 7 to lift "the plunger in opposition to its spring in such a position that the tooth of the plunger is removed from its engagement with the bolt groove, and owing to the fact that the key wing will ride slightly past the center of force exerted upon it, the plunger will be locked in such elevated position until the key is again turned. Hence, the bolt can readily thereby be removed. It is understood that I may vary the structural features within the language of the claim.

I claim:

In a threaded bolt having a series of longitudinal ratchet tooth grooves interrupting its threads; the combination of a key having a cylindrical portion and a wing portion; a nut having an aperture of key hole shape and a radial cavity extending from its bore and open only at the bore, a

spring controlled tooth plunger mounted in the cavity for engagement with the ratchet tooth bolt grooves, the plunger being provided with a 1 recess for receiving" said key having walls radiating from the key apei- 5 ture of the nut, one of which is adapted to be engaged by the vwingof said key, whereby spring and held in such lifting position by the mere rotation of the shaft of the key.

Intestimonythat I"GIefiHF-the fOIegOing I' have heie'iinto -set lny'hend at Antigo, in the county of Langlade and State of Wis- ,consin. the"p1i'1nger" is'lifted in opposition to its 

